Finishing machine

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to surface finishing machines, and more particularly to improvements in such machines of the type that are especially adapted to rough, brush polish, glaze, buff, satin finish, mirror finish, or otherwise finish sheet, plate, strip, coil, or any other type workpieces such as name plates, decorative hardware, engravure stock, printed circuit panels, or the like.

United States Patent [72] inventor William C. Burt Olean, N.Y. [21] Appl. No 820,242 [22] Filed Apr. 29, 1969 [45] Patented June 29, 1971 [73] Assignee Clair Manufacturing Co.,1nc.

Olean, N.Y.

[54] FINISHING MACHINE 3 Claims, 20 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 51/45, 51/165, 51/39, 51/92 [51] Int. Cl B241) 7/00 [50] Field of Search 51/34, 40, 39, 100, 45, 92, 165.01, 165.03

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 401,278 4/1889 Hyde et a1 51/45 Primary ExaminerWilliam R. Armstrong Att0rney--Bean & Bean ABSTRACT: This invention relates to surface finishing machines, and more particularly to improvements in such machines of the type that are especially adapted to rough, brush polish, glaze, buff, satin finish, mirror finish, or otherwise finish sheet, plate, strip, coil, or any other type workpieces such as name plates, decorative hardware, engravure stock, printed circuit panels, or the like.

PATENTEU JUN29 I971 SHEET 1 OF 7 INVENTOR. W/LL/HM C. BURT W kkON W/LL/ANCBURT SPEET 3 OF T PATENTEU JUN29 19?:

PATENTED JUNZSIH]! $589,072 SHEET w 0F 7 INVENTOR. lV/L L IAM 6. EUR? IOO @Mqmm A TTORNEYS PATENTED JUN29 can SHEET 6 SF INVENTOR.

W/LL/AM C. BURT A T TO/FNEYS PATENTED JUHZ 919m SHEET 7 OF 7 I NVEN'I'OR. WILLIAM C. BURT 6M 4 Gm ATTORNEYS FINISHING MACHINE BACKGROUND AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide improvements in machines of the character above described; in which the mechanism is of improved simplicity and ruggedness, and wherein the component parts of the mechanism are so constructed and arranged relative to each other as to reduce the requisite number of parts to a minimum.

Another object is to provide in a machine as aforesaid an improved reciprocating workpiece supporting table arrangement for transporting workpieces through the machine, and in which the processing roll is rockable about its support axis in coordination with movement of the workpiece through the machine. Hence, the processing roll engages and disengages the workpiece in such fashion as to avoid damage to the leading and/or trailing edges thereof; while at all times processing the workpiece under uniform pressure contact conditions throughout the entire surface area of the workpiece.

A further feature of this invention resides in a specific combination of component parts whereby the processing roll of the machine is readily accessible for interchange purposes, and wherein the same provides means in its construction for the incorporation of reciprocating means compactly arranged and efficiently connected with the processing roll so as to achieve improved workpiece processing results.

It is another object of the invention to provide a machine as aforesaid which is of improved versatility in that it will readily accommodate relatively wide strip or sheet workpieces as well as irregular shapes such as decorative hardware pieces, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine as aforesaid which is adapted to properly finish flat stock sheets or strips throughout their surface areas from the leading edges to trailing edges thereof, while avoiding undesirable pickup and/or bending of the trailing edge portions of the stock pieces as they pass through the machine.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide in a machine as aforesaid an improved buff roll support arrangement.

Another object is to provide a machine as aforesaid which incorporates improved automatic control arrangements insuring optimum speed and efficiency of the machine operation, as well as maximum safety for attendant personnel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the specification hereinafter.

By way of illustration of one example of the present invention, a machine embodying the features thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a machine of the inventron;

FIG. 2 is a left-hand side elevation of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a right-hand side elevation thereof;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof, with portions broken away to show interior mechanism;

FIG. 4a is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, taken as indicated at 4a-4a of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4B is a fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, taken as indicated at 4B-4B of FIG. 4;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged scale sectional view taken along the plane of section line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by line 6-6 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a vacuum-type workpiece holding table accessory, such as may be readily employed in connection with the machine;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken as indicated by line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to a portion of FIG. 2, illustrating employment of a modified form of workpiece holding table and processing roll pressure control arrangement;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are sectional views taken as indicated by lines 9A-9A and 98-98, respectively, on FIG. 9C;

FIG. 9C is a sectional view taken as indicated on line 9C9C on FIG. 9;

FIG. 10 is a composite fragmentary sectional view, on enlarged scale, taken as indicated by line 10-10 of FIG. 4; and

FIGS. l1, l2, l3, l4 and are schematic diagrams of the various control systems for the machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawing herewith, the machine is constructed to include a pair of stanchions -20 supporting a bedplate 21 which in turn supports a pair of upright pedestals 22, 24, at its opposite sides. The pedestals 22, 24 mount in vertically adjustable relation bearing bl-ocks 25-25 which carry therebetween a nonrotatably mounted bridge shaft 26. The shaft 26 is thereby disposed in vertically adjustable but horizontally disposed relation. By means of stirrups 27-27 the shaft 26 carries a rotatably lower shaft 28 in parallel spaced apart relation thereto; which in turn by means of arms 30, 32, 33 rotatably support the buff roll drive shaft unit 34 which is driven by an electric motor 35 through means of a belt 36; a pulley 37; and idler roll 38 riding freely on the roll shaft 28; and a drive belt 39. To complete the mounting for the processing roll, which is indicated generally at 40, detachable couplings as indicated at 41-42 are provided at each end thereof (FIGv 10). As shown in the drawing herewith, the roll is shown as being a buffing roll; but it will be understood that in lieu thereof the couplings 4l-42 may mount any other grinding or abrading or brushing or polishing roll, or the like, as may be required for any given instance of use.

The workpiece mounting carriage portion of the machine is illustrated herein to comprise a platform which is mounted upon the baseplate 21 by means of slideways 52 so that the platform 50 is reciprocable horizontally in directions transverse to the roll 40. A hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 55 is mounted under the baseplate 21 and the piston rod 56 thereof extends in the direction of platform travel and into connection with a bracket 57 carried by the platform 50. Thus, hydraulic actuation of the piston-cylinder unit 55 will cause the platform 50 to reciprocate toward and away from the roll 40. Upright brackets 58 extend from the corner portions of the platform and support in suitably elevated relation thereon the work piece support table 60 upon which workpieces to be processed as indicated at are disposed. The workpieces may simply lie flatwise as shown on the table 60, or may be otherwise fastened thereto if need be by any suitable means, whereby reciprocation of the table by means of the cylinder 55 will cause the workpiece to pass back and forth in processing contact under the roll 40.

As best illustrated at FIG. 10, the processing roll support mechanism is constructed to include means for causing it to axially reciprocate the processing roll coincident with its rotation, thereby avoiding production of graining" effects or the like on the finished surface of the workpiece. Thus the process roll mounting spindle as indicated at is fitted with faceplates 72-74 at its opposite ends arranged to mate with corresponding coupling faceplates 76-78 keyed to the roll drive shaft 34 and a hollow shaft 80 carried by the arm 33, respectively. The faceplate 76 is fitted. with axially extending pins 82 engaging the opposing faceplate 72 which is fixed to the roll support spindle 70. Thus, although the shaft 34 drives the roll 40 to rotate, the latter is free to reciprocate axially within the limits of the open space provided by the fact that the distance between the faceplates 7274 is provided so as to be less than the distance between the faceplates 76-78. Similar pins 84 flexibly interconnect the faceplates 74-78. Reciprocation of the roll 40 is attained by means of a pushpull rod 86 which engages the faceplate 74 at one end by means of a pin 88 and extends through the hollow shaft into fixed connection at its other end with one race portion of a rotatable thrust connection device as indicated generally at 90; the other portion of the thrust device being connected to a nonrotating thrust shaft 92 which in turn connects as indicated at 94 to the rod 95 of a piston 9.6 residing in a cylinder 100. The cylinder is fixed to a housing 102 carried by the arms 30-33; and thus variations of the pressure differential at opposite sides of the piston 96 will cause the latter to reciprocate the roll 40 as it rotates. An arm 104 extends rigidly and laterally from the thrust shaft 95 and carries a cam block 106 bearing against the actuator 108 ofa push switch 110 which is thereby actuated to alternatively reverse a valve 111 controlling delivery of compressed air alternately through conduits 112, 114 opposite sides of the piston 96 in the cylinder 100. Thus, as the cam surface of the block 106 actuates the control switch 110 coincident with each shift of the arm 104, it causes the roll to reciprocate axially while it rotates.

The elevational position of the processing roll 40 is regulated by means of a combination hand and pneumatic pistoncylinder control unit so that the working pressure of the processing roll 40 against the workpiece may be adjusted at will and will thereupon operate uniformly against the work. The control unit comprises a piston rod which is threaded at one end through a nut bearing 122 which is carried by a crank arm 124 which is keyed to the roll position control spindle 28. A handwheel 125 is fitted to the top end of the rod 120 for manual adjustment thereof. At its lower end the rod 120 carries a piston riding within a cylinder 126 which is based upon the machine frame by means of a pivot connection 128 (FIG. 3). Depending upon the thickness of the workpiece to be processed, the. roll 40 will first be vertically adjusted by means of the handwheel 125 to such a position that when compressed air is delivered to the cylinder 126 as by the control system of FIG. 15, the piston thereof will bias the arms 30, 32, 33, so as to press the roll 40 against the workpiece with the desired degree of pressure. Thus, although the table will be mechanically adjusted vertically in the first place to different workpiece thicknesses, after the initial adjustment the working pressure against the processing roll will in all cases be determined and maintained by the air pressure within the cylinder 126. Inasmuch as this is of a resilient nature a substantially uniform pressure will at all times be exerted by the roll against the entire surface area of the workpiece.

As best illustrated at FIGS. 4, 6, 14, the range of workpiece holding platform travel is regulated by means of a valve 146 controlling alternate applications of fluid pressure to the cylinder 55. In turn, operation of the valve is controlled by means of a handwheel 130 keyed to a lead screw 132 which is rotatably carried by the table 50 at its opposite ends. A parallel disposed lead screw 134 is similarly mounted on the bed 50, and the screws 132134 are geared to rotate together by means of a gear system as indicated at 136 (FIG. 4). A pair of blocks l40142 are mounted on the parallel lead screws in screw-threaded relation therewith, and are thereby arranged to be longitudinally shiftable relative to the bed 50 by rotation of the control handle 130. The blocks 140, 142 each carry fingers 144 arranged to extend laterally into abutting engagements with the upper end of a control arm 145 extending vertically from the actuator of the valve 146 (FIG. 6) which controls alternate delivery of hydraulic pressure to opposite ends of the cylinder 55. Thus it will be appreciated that suitable manual adjustments of the handwheel 130 will regulate the range of reciprocation of the workpiece carrying table.

Whereas certain type workpieces may readily be processed by simply laying them on the table 65, as illustrated at FIGS. 7, 8, a vacuum table 150 may be employed so as to support the workpieces 65 at a slight elevation above the table plate 60 Hence, a source of vacuum may be applied thereto as indicated at 152 to assist in holding thin sheets or the like in proper processing position.

It is also a special feature of the machine of the invention that the processing roll pressure regulating mechanism is readily adjustable so that the machine may process with improved facility workpieces of irregular contour. As illustrated at FIGS. 9, 9A, 9B and 9C, a pair of slide rods -160 are arranged to extend longitudinally of the platform 50 and are fixed at their opposite ends thereto. A plurality of control blocks 162 are slidably mounted upon the rails 160-160 and are thereby adapted to be adjustably positioned on the slide rails longitudinally thereof. The blocks 162 include finger portions 164 which are set so as to extend alternately into abutting registry with the actuators of a pair of pilot valves designated LS4 and LS5 FIGS. 9, 9A, 9B, 9C and 11) which are positionally fixed on the stationary machine frame. The parts are so arranged that if a workpiece 65 having a vertical profile of the type shown at FIG. 9 is to be processed by the roll 40, the control blocks 162 may be manually shifted and set on the rods 160 so as to vertically coincide, alternatively, with the peaks and valleys of the workpiece; so that as the table 60 reciprocates back and forth toward the processing roll the control blocks come successively into operative positions relative to the pilot valves, according to the settings of the control blocks.

For example, the control block designated 1 at FIG. 9 may have its bottom finger 164 extended so as to actuate pilot valve LS4 as the table begins to carry the workpiece to the roll 40. The valve LS4 thereupon controls the air pressure supply system so as to permit the pressure in the cylinder 126 operating to press the roll downwardly to bleed off; thereby permitting the roll to accommodate to the rising configuration of the workpiece portion illustrated at station 2 without applying excessive pressure against that portion of the workpiece surface. Then when the roll reaches station 2 of the control block 162 thereat actuates the pilot valve LS5 so as to reenergize and/or restore the pressure supply system to the cylinder 126, thereby accommodating the roll 40 to the lowering profile of the workpiece leading to station 3 thereon; and so on, throughout the extent of the workpiece. Note that the control blocks 162 may be successively located at any suitable positions along the rails 160 so as to provide any desired lead and lag operations of the pressure control system and that the pressure bleed off and rebuild sequences may be readily regulated as to timing and degree, so as to accommodate the operation to the processing of any regularly or irregularly contoured workpiece shapes.

lclaim:

1. In a workpiece surface finishing apparatus comprising a base supporting a workpiece carrying table motivated to reciprocate workpieces relative to a finishing roll, said finishing roll being mounted for movement toward and away from the plane of reciprocation of said workpiece when supported by said table, and a control system regulating movements of said finishing roll toward and away from said table, the improvement wherein said control system produces substantially uniform working pressure relationships between said finishing roll and the variously profiled surface portions of the workpiece and comprises in combination:

a fluid cylinder;

a piston movable relatively within said cylinder, one of said cylinder and piston being fixed to said base and the other thereof being coupled to said finishing roll to effect movement thereof;

a counter balance circuit for applying air at relatively high pressure tending to move said piston relatively towards one end of said cylinder whereby the weight of said finishing roll is counter balanced and said finishing roll is moved away from said workpiece;

a finishing roll pressure control circuit for selectively applying air at relatively low pressure to said one end of said cylinder, said low pressure partially counterbalancing said high pressure such as to permit movement of said finishing roll under the influence of gravity towards said workpiece, the difference between said high and low pressures determining the pressure of said finishing roll on said workpiece;

direction of table reciprocation to substantially coincide with changes in profile of said workpiece surface, said sensor means being responsive to said operator means for controlling operation of said reduce force circuit.

3. The improvement as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reduce force circuit includes valve means, said sensor means controlling operation of said valve means to bleed air from said one end of said cylinder to decrease said low pressure. 

1. In a workpiece surface finishing apparatus comprising a base supporting a workpiece carrying table motivated to reciprocate workpieces relative to a finishing roll, said finishing roll being mounted for movement toward and away from the plane of reciprocation of said workpiece when supported by said table, and a control system regulating movements of said finishing roll toward and away from said table, the improvement wherein said control system produces substantially uniform working pressure relationships between said finishing roll and the variously profiled surface portions of the workpiece and comprises in combination: a fluid cylinder; a piston movable relatively within said cylinder, one of said cylinder and piston being fixed to said base and the other thereof being coupled to said finishing roll to effect movement thereof; a counter balance circuit for applying air at relatively high pressure tending to move said piston relatively towards one end of said cylinder whereby the weight of said finishing roll is counter balanced and said finishing roll is moved away from said workpiece; a finishing roll pressure control circuit for selectively applying air at relatively low pressure to said one end of said cylinder, said low pressure partially counterbalancing said high pressure such as to permit movement of said finishing roll under the influence of gravity towards said workpiece, the difference between said high and low pressures determining the pressure of said finishing roll on said workpiece; a reduce force circuit for decreasing said low pressure applied to said one end of said cylinder; and means to control operation of said reduce force circuit in accordance with changes in profile of said workpiece surface.
 2. The improvement as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operation control means includes sensor means fixed to said base and a plurality of operator means carried by said table, said operator means being positionally adjustable in the direction of table reciprocation to substantially coincide with changes in profile of said workpiece surface, said sensor means being responsive to said operator means for controlling operation of said reduce force circuit.
 3. The improvement as set forth in claim 2, wherein said reduce force circuit includes valve means, said sensor means controlling operation of said valve means to bleed air from said one end of said cylinder to decrease said low pressure. 